Maybe Taylor’s thanking Harry IRL for the Best Female Video Moonman like she did in her speech?

So, you know how Taylor Swift threw some shade at an ex during her Best Female Video acceptance speech for “I Knew You Were Trouble.” at last night’s VMAs? At the end of her expected thank-yous, the singer dropped the timbre of her voice to add: “I also want to thank the person who inspired this song who knows exactly who he is, because now I got one o’ these!” Shade? Sorry, we meant a 9,089-year eclipse.

Like most people obsessed with the lives of their famous betters, we assumed Swift might have been referring to One Direction‘s Harry Styles, whom the song is rumored to be about. This theory was further corroborated by TayTay’s apparent “STFU” moment with seat buddy Selena Gomez while 1D was presenting. (Basically, we thought her feelings toward Harry were basically the complete opposite of how she reacted to *NSYNC‘s VMA reunion.) But the above photo featuring the two hanging out with Ed Sheeran at a VMA After-Party may just prove otherwise…

Read more about the Taylor/Harry photo, and watch Taylor’s acceptance speech after the jump.

We’re not totally sure of the circumstances surrounding this photo, but it appears that one lucky VMA audience member hit up the very same postshow blowout. The user tweeted the photo with a caption that reads “maybe this picture can prove that they’re okay with each other.” Hmmm, maybe it can. Then again, mutual friend Ed Sheeran could always be threatening the former flames to play nice and smile for the camera, or else he will TURN THIS VMA AFTER-PARTY AROUND. All plausible. Don’t you think?